


Just Who I Was Looking For

by Blue_Daddys_Girl



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Advice, Battle Injury, Conversation, Female Friendship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Healthy Boundaries, Hidden Injury, Jedi Temple, Training, febuwhump prompt, lying for your friends, supportive ahsoka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28961127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Daddys_Girl/pseuds/Blue_Daddys_Girl
Summary: Ahsoka rescues Barriss from the clutches of master Cin Drallig. The two padawan have a well needed talk in the temple garden, and Ahsoka shares a little of her worldviews.
Relationships: Barriss Offee & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21
Collections: High Council Bounty 1/21





	Just Who I Was Looking For

Ahsoka was searching for an empty dojo to train in when she heard Bariss' voice. Not an entirely unusual occurrence, since Bariss could not escape saber practice, no matter how much she might want to. But today of all days, Ahsoka knew she had no business there.

'It's very important you know,' master Drallig was saying, 'so much is changing in the forms and the way they are interconnected.'

'I suppose,' Barriss said with significantly less fire in her voice. 'The order hasn't seen this much field experience in _all_ their members in hundreds of years.'

They were standing in front of the entrance to one of the main learner dojos. Ahsoka could see the younglings inside, holding themselves as close as was politely possible and as far as was respectful, as curious and inquisitive as any posse of younglings could be.

'It's particularly evident in your form, padawan,' Drallig was saying. 'You're not set in your ways yet, you're still fluid.'

'But master, I'm not sure I can–'

'Nonsense. You're the perfect example for this class. Come now, no need to be bashful.'

Ahsoka might have laughed at that if she weren't already so close. She found faults in her friend, and many more qualities, but bashfulness was simply not part of the picture when it came to Barriss Offee.

'Barriss!' Ahsoka called out. 'Here you are! Why are you so hard to find?'

She jogged up to them, giving Master Drallig the respectful bow he deserved, and a wink to the restless pack of younglings.

'You were looking for me Ahsoka?' Barriss asked, curious.

'Now, don't be so _bashful_ ,' Ahsoka said with a bright smile, 'we were supposed to meet ten minutes ago. It's not like you to be late.'

'I–'

'I was asking padawan Offee here to do a demonstration for my class,' Drallig cut in, whether to excuse Barriss' lateness or as a claim on her time, Ahsoka could not tell.

'Ah, I'm sorry for your younglings Master,' Ahsoka replied. She too could be obtuse when she wanted to. 'I'm afraid they'll have to wait.'

'Nonsense, now I have two of you, it'll go this much faster.'

'Master, we have a prior engagement.'

'Who with?'

'She does with me,' Ahsoka said, pointing at Barriss, who was starring at her in mild horror. 'And I do with her.'

Master Drallig was unimpressed by her argument. His cocked eyebrow was the sort of sign of displeasure that had once stricken fear in Ahsoka's heart, and still did in many of his former students. But she had been commanding troops for months, and she had learned how to press her advantage in the face of the enemy.

'I'll come and give a demonstration instead next time if you want!'

'A generous offer, Ahsoka, but you're Skywalker's padawan. You're prone to sudden and extended missions. Force knows when you'll next be around.'

Ahsoka repressed a sigh, built up her walls a little higher, lest her exasperation sip through the force. The master was a great swordsman, but he seemed to have little but saber forms or temple security on his mind at any given moment.

What was she supposed to say to convince him? To please let the women have their quality time together away from the war? She couldn't push Barriss under the mag-train and reveal she was injured. It would shame the master too, for not having noticed.

The two women exchanged glances, entire snippets of conversations delivered in twitching smiles and microscopic frowns.

_What are you doing?_

_Roll with it, or Force help me–_

'What about in an hour?' Ahsoka said, focusing back on the ornery master. 'How does that sound? Surely the council wouldn't give me a mission on such short notice. We just came back, and I have my navigationals to pass next benthuday.'

The younglings were positively vibrating with excitement by now. Ahsoka was known for being one of the best fighters in her class, and her friendliness and ease with younglings had made her something of a star among them.  
Master Drallig was sensible in the end. The opportunity wasn't lost on him.

Now freed, the two women made their way up to the garden, looking for all the world like they had an appointment to make.

'Ahsoka. What was that? I don't know if I should thank you or not.'

'Oh, you could. That was me rescuing you after all.'

'I suppose so but... We didn't agree to any meeting. I didn't even know you were back on Coruscant.'

'Of course not. You were too busy being treated in the Halls of Healing.'

'Ah. You saw me?'

'Yes. I had to check in with master Che on a burn, but the med droid took care of it on the flight back, it was fine.' She sat herself down on a patch of shaded grass, inviting Barriss to join her with a small gesture. 'You on the other hand–'

Barriss smiled, sat herself next to her. It was that smile, Ahsoka thought, that led people like Cin Drallig to use adjectives like "bashful" to describe her. It was a kind thing, too small to be warm, too perfect to be timid.  
Yes, she _looked_ bashful, if you didn't know her. Nothing that a couple of conversations couldn't fix, Ahsoka thought.

'Why wouldn't you tell him?'

Barriss shrugged, looked down at her hands, gripping the offending knee that had sent her to the Halls.

'Was the mission bad?' Ahsoka insisted.

'Master Luminara, she–' A beat, then two. 'Yes. It was bad.'

Ahsoka put a comforting hand on her friend's back.

'You don't have to tell me. You don't have to tell master Drallig either. But you shouldn't hide your injury. You were limping just last night. There is no way you're fit to show some battle hardened ataru to starry-eyed younglings.'

'You make it sound so easy.'

'I do? I mean, is it not easy? You just need to be honest with him. You're healing. There is no shame in that. Master Drallig can't get away with glorifying combat and not respect your injuries at the same time. He'd never push you if you told him.'

Barriss gave her a long suffering look.

'Easy for you, maybe. But I was walking fine, he couldn't tell. I'm not feeling much pain. Maybe I could have given the demonstration.'

'You probably would have too, if I hadn't stepped in, and maybe hurt yourself.'

Barriss sighed. She laid herself down on the grass, hands crossed over her chest. It was a rare sight, to see the young mirialan this relaxed in public, and Ahsoka enjoyed it. She liked to believe that it was her influence, a little bit of her rubbing off on Barriss, the same way Barriss had rubbed off on her during the past year.

'Look, I know that you find it hard to say no to others, especially masters,' Ahsoka said, 'I used to have plenty of conflicting emotions about your obedience, before I started to appreciate all the good it can bring.'

Barriss frowned. 'What do you mean? What emotions?'

The word was not exactly taboo to Jedi, but admitting one had "plenty" of them was bordering on heresy.

'I was jealous of the confidence master Luminara put in you because you seemed so reliable. I felt like I was too, and that I shouldn't need to always be so polite and saying yes to everything, in order to get the same treatment from my master. I kinda thought it made you predictable as well.'

'Force! Thanks Ahsoka, I love your pep talks.'

'Ah, come on, you know I don't mean it like that. I got to know you and I realised you're not blindly obedient. I tried doing things your way a little more and it's done me good. But you still have that in you.'

'Have what? Obedience? It is a precept we are taught, you realise that, right?'

'I mean the desire to please.' Ahsoka raised a hand to ward off any protest, 'I get it, I had it too. I felt like I needed to prove myself so hard. Still do sometimes.'

Barriss gave her friend a thoughtful look. 'Your master didn't chose you, didn't he?'

Ahsoka shook her head. 'Master Yoda appointed me. It felt– just, _I get it_.'

They were silent a moment, each lost in their thoughts. The war gave padawans more than their usual share of struggles to process.  
Sitting in the quiet of the garden, basking in each other's company, it was a rare moment of peace for both women, and they almost fell down into a communal meditation, their thoughts skipping over the edges of a trance.

'So what's your trick? To make it so easy?' Barriss asked, voice low, eyes closed, mind open to Ahsoka's suggestions.

'I suppose it's instinctual, mostly. But if I had to put it into words... You've got to draw lines in the sand around you. Between people you'll never listen to, people whose demands you'll consider seriously, those you'll always try to obey... And then more lines for things you'll never do, situations where you should chose your own wants or needs first.'

'As Jedi–' Barriss started.

'Hey Barriss, you asked.'

The mirialan sighed, the togruta grinned, above them the leaves rustled, and around them the Force flowed, unperturbed, unconcerned.

'Right.' Ahsoka rose, dusted herself. 'I suppose it's time for me to go and sacrifice myself for you.'

'Master Drallig isn't that bad.'

'Master Drallig is firmly behind the "consider demands carefully" line in the sand.'

'Have you talked to your master about this... world-view of yours?'

'No, I haven't. But I'm pretty sure his are even crazier.'

Barriss frowned. 'Why don't I doubt that?'

'You've paid attention around my master?'

They laughed. Somewhere deep in the levels bellow, Anakin Skywalker sneezed.

'Ahsoka–' Barriss called out to her departing friend, rising up on her elbows. 'Thank you! For my knee... and the pep talk.'

'Anytime! That's what friends are for!'


End file.
